6 of the trendiest Hong Kong slang terms to know before you go — do you leave behind “a lot of leg hair”?

Reported and photographed by You Ru / Hong Kong

What trendy “Cantonese slang” can travelers learn while visiting Hong Kong? ETtoday Ettoday News Cloud specially asked young locals in Hong Kong for an on-the-spot lesson. What does “Hong Kong girl” really mean — and is it super negative? Why would a female traveler leave behind “a lot of leg hair” after visiting? Here’s a roundup of six of the most commonly used trendy phrases among Hong Kong youth, for travelers’ reference.


▲Urban view of Hong Kong, featuring apartment buildings near Kwun Tong.


▲Content from the Cantonese slang teaching video.

6 popular Hong Kong slang terms:
1. Leg hair
A trendy term among Hong Kong youth, using “leg hair” to describe having left one’s mark somewhere. For example: I went to Hong Kong last week and left behind a lot of leg hair.

2. Hong Kong girl
For many women in Hong Kong, being called a “Hong Kong girl” can be offensive. In local usage, it refers to a girl who is snobbish, picky, and overly money-minded. For example: That person is so “Hong Kong girl.”

3. Picklish
Used to describe someone who is very fussy or nitpicky — often applied to “Hong Kong girls.” For example: That Hong Kong girl is so “picklish.”

4. Slacking off
Means to slack off or be lazy at work. For example: You should take your job seriously and not “slack off” all the time.

5.Hea
Not wanting to move, feeling lethargic, or being lazy — something Hong Kong people love to say: I’m so Hea (chill)!

6. Cowardly
Means being afraid, hesitant to act, or acting like a coward. Hong Kong people might say: You’re being so “cowardly” about things you do.